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Miral Audiobook
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(2.60) - 20 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Now a major motion picture from award-winning director Julian Schnabel, starring Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire)
Written by the much-admired Italo-Palestinian journalist Rula Jebreal, Miral is a novel that focuses on remarkable women whose lives unfold in the turbulent political climate along the borders of Israel and Palestine.
In 1948, as violence erupts in Jerusalem, a young Arab woman, Hind Husseini, finds fifty-five abandoned children and faces the biggest challenge of her life—changing their destiny. She dedicates her life to providing the children with love and education, and establishes the Dar El-Tifel orphanage. As the years pass and the conflict rages on, Hind finds that—despite her best efforts—some of her older students are taking part in the violent struggle for Palestinian independence, including one of her brightest students, Miral, whose mother died tragically when her daughter was only five. Hind desperately races to save Miral from this legacy of destruction. But is she too late?
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"I really enjoyed this book and found it was a very interesting way to learn more about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The main character is fascinating and complicated, which makes for a very compelling read. "
— Naureen (4 out of 5 stars)
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“A gripping story with nuanced characters and historical context that thoroughly humanizes the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”
— Associated Press -
“Packed with historical facts…A reliable refresher of the Palestinian struggle.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Gripping…There are few novels that show the personal conflict in such depth and complexity.”
— Booklist -
“Many of us understand the motives of both sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but neglect the stories of the individuals involved. Here, Palestinian-born Jebreal…shares the realities of these people…Jebreal’s refusal to categorize her characters as angelic or evil is refreshing…With a narrative style that recalls Chico Buarque’s Budapest, this work will appeal to lovers of political fiction, particularly when focused on the Arabic world. The novel is soon to be a major motion picture directed by Julian Schnabel, which testifies to its relevance.”
— Library Journal
Miral Listener Reviews
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" Read this for book club. It was ok, definitely not my favorite. I prefer books with more action and a bit of happiness. This was lacking both. Just not my kind of book. "
— Mary, 4/18/2011 -
" A must read for any die hard supporter of Israeli policies. Whether all the characters' stories are true or not, I was drawn into the displaced and stateless Palestinian people and their struggle. "
— Tiki, 4/12/2011 -
" The second half was better than the first. "
— Carol, 4/10/2011 -
" I read this book because of the movie they produced and how much controversy there was...however the book is very poorly written. I am shocked that there is so much controversy, there is bound to be these feelings on both sides of a war. "
— Nancy, 4/8/2011 -
" Not a big fan of this one. I found it hard to engage with the characters, there was something superficial about them. I intend to see the movie, though. "
— Lynda, 4/5/2011 -
" "Miral" reaches for a humane simplicity concerning the chaos of the situation in Israel vis-a-vis the Palestinians but it's too reductive to be as effective/affecting as it wishes to be... "
— Frederic, 3/29/2011 -
" It's a lovely story. The writing never engaged me, mostly because it felt like a series of observations instead of the characters' emotions, almost like the blueprint for a script rather than a novel. "
— E.C., 3/11/2011 -
" I really enjoyed this book! I kept thinking to myself, how would I act if my country was under so much stress and violence? Could I step up and be so politically active such as Miral, knowing that it upset my family, I could be arrested or kicked out of school? Very beautifully written! "
— Luckyclarkie, 1/27/2011 -
" An account of the Israel-Palestine issue from a personal angle. there are no good guys nor bad guys, just ordinary ppl born into these conflicts, trying thier best to make sense of these troubles, eeking out a living and hoping for peace. "
— Baljit, 1/26/2011
About Rula Jebreal
Rula Jebreal is an award-winning Italo-Palestinian journalist who specializes in foreign affairs and immigration-rights issues. She was born in Haifa, Israel, studied and worked in Italy as an anchorwoman for many years, and now makes her home in New York.
About Sneha Mathan
Sneha Mathan is a voice actor and audiobook narrator. Her audiobook work has received several Earphones awards, and she is a three-time Audie Award finalist. She lives in Seattle.